Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the fields of autoimmune diseases. More specifically, the present invention relates to uses of ingested (orally administered) neuropeptide Y.
Description of the Related Art
The following abbreviations may be used herein. ACTH—Adrenocorticotropin hormone, a-MSH—alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone, CR-EAE—chronic relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, DTH—delayed type hypersensitivity, DPBS—Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline, neuropeptide Y—NPY, SIRS—soluble immune response suppressor, SPF—specific pathogen free, SST—somatostatin, Treg—T regulatory cell.
Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a T cell mediated inflammatory autoimmune process of the CNS that resembles in some aspects the human demyelinating disease multiple sclerosis (MS) (1) and provides a useful animal model for the evaluation of potential therapies for T cell mediated autoimmune diseases (2-4). Ingested immunoactive proteins type I IFN (5), SIRS peptide 1-21 (6), alpha-MSH (7), ACTH (8) and SST (9) inhibit clinical attacks and inflammation in acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (5, 10).
Ingested immunoactive proteins act by reduction in Th1-like encephalitogenic activity (ingested IFN-α) (6, 7, 10, 11), induction of Th2-like counter-regulatory cytokines (oral SIRS peptide) (6), reduction in CNS Th1-like encephalitogenic cytokines (alpha-MSH) (7), reduction in Th1-like encephalitogenic cytokines IL-2, IFN-γ and IL-17 along with CD4+CD25+ FoxP3+ frequency induction (Treg) (ACTH) (8) and reduction of Th1 and Th17 with induction of Th2-like IL-4 cytokines and Treg cells (SST) (9).
Therefore, the prior art is deficient in the use of neuropeptide Y in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. The present invention fulfills this long-standing need and desire in the art.